Seems like a remarkably good reason for the train service employee handling the switch to cross to the opposite side of the track while the movement is being made...
Robert
Earl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fritz Klinke Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Christian needs to do some research on the
> > railroad he works for. There was a fairly
> serious
> > injury on the Nomad derailment as I recall, and
> it
> > was from a mis-thrown switch. There has been at
> > least one D&S railroad employee killed at
> Rockwood
> > getting off a moving passenger train (Bobby
> > Huffman, D&S Roadmaster, 1986). I don't recall
> the
> > details but I believe there were several
> > fatalities on the Silverton branch during the
> 20th
> > Century and certainly in the last 136 years. A
> > glib response to make things look good does not
> > reflect well on Christian.
>
> I don't remember the year, but it was in the early
> 1990's when the B-3 rolled over. My wife and I
> were one our annual late summer narrow gauge
> circle tour. We had a late morning start out of
> Chama and spent the day on the ROW to Durango,
> holing gup for the night at the Super 8 south of
> town. The D&S was "old hat" nothing much new ever
> happened there, all they ran were K36's, just like
> the ones at home.... who cares.
>
> We were up and out pretty early the next morning
> to "do" the RGS. After a long day of driving,
> 4-wheeling and hiking, we tied up in Montrose for
> the night. I was in the bath enjoying a nice long
> soak with the TV on in the room broadcasting the
> local Grand Junction News, when I heard the
> announcer say "...and when we come back we will
> have and update on the train wreck on the Durango
> and Silverton RR that resulted in at least one
> serious injury..." WHAT!!!!! I was out of the
> tub in a heartbeat standing there dripping all
> over the carpet, when the story came back on with
> pics of the B-3 on its side....
>
> This happened when the afternoon Cascade Train was
> running. The outgoing Cascade met trains 462 and
> 464 going out in the afternoon. 464 was met at
> newly re-created Pinkerton Siding between Hermosa
> and Rockwood. 462 met the Cascade Train at Home
> Ranch, which had been laid down recently also.
> the meet was real tight at Home Ranch. I saw it
> go down several times. 462 would ease up to the
> switch, the head end brakie would line them in,
> the rear brakeman would line behind. By this time
> the Cascade train was charging down their throats
> at 20 mph. There was less than 2 minutes most
> times. Once I saw the switch being lined as the
> Cascade pounded the points at the far end of Home
> Ranch.
>
> Big Time Narrow Gauge Railroading....
>
> When happened was the rear brakeman on 462 got in
> a hurry to get in the clear unloaded from the
> switchstand side, opened the lock and lined the
> switch under the B-3. The front truck went down
> the main, the rear went down the siding. The
> result was inevitable.....
>
> After this the D&S installed point locks on all
> the mainline siding switches. So, in addition to
> unlocking and throwing the switch, the crewman has
> to step into the gauge, unlock the point lock,
> then step back and throw the switch.
>
> If I recall one passenger on the B-3 got a broken
> back in the ordeal.
